Music
Key incubators for d'n'b's front-facing fraternity.
Drum’n’bass is supercharged with exciting innovative independent labels. At their most influential, they’re the vanguard of the genre and an essential quality control filter. They invest in the next generation of artists, set legacies that change the face of the genre, and ensure it continues to evolve, mutate and stay true to its future-focused aesthetic and production benchmark.
More and more emerge each year. In fact, we’ve never been so spoilt for good quality d’n’b labels. Many of the original schematic-setting imprints are still as forward-thinking as they were back in the '90s, while a whole new movement of indies continues to add new ideas and directions to the genre.
Over the last few years in particular we’ve seen a rise in artists establishing their own imprints. Building up new collectives, carving their own signature on the genre, they’ve upkept the genre’s longstanding tradition of label culture with strong identities, sounds and loyal followings that keep d’n’b healthy, varied and forever loaded with a ridiculous amount of subgenres.
As we skank into a new decade, here are some of the most exciting ones right at the forefront of the sound…
1985 Music
File under: Futuristic
Don’t be fooled by the 20th century tag – 1985 is as forward-thinking as it gets. Flexing from minimal moody steppers to swampy halftime, the label was established by Alix Perez in 2015 as he made the transition from label artist at Shogun Audio to label bossman himself.
Everything you experience on 1985 is down to Perez – from the label’s distinctive black and white, noir aesthetic (he studied design prior to breaking through into drum’n’bass in 2005) to the blink-and-miss merch drops. Most importantly, he’s curated a roster of some of the most exciting artists in d’n’b – from Monty to Fracture to Submarine and of course Perez himself whose output is currently the most prolific and explorative that it has ever been. Newcomers to the label should head for the label’s Folio compilation albums for the broadest snapshot of the label, its sound and its many exciting protagonists.
Key artists: Alix Perez, Monty, Bredren, Submarine, Visages
Listen to Alix Perez, SP:MC and Fox live at Red Bull Refractions in the player below.
Born On Road
File under: Jungle
Soundsystem soldiers with deep jungle roots, Born On Road is co-owned by Aries and Kelvin 373. Pioneering a melting pot sound that’s bashy, bouncy and designed for big rigs and clashes, they’ve been fusing elements of jungle, dancehall and jump-up since 2013 and have come into their stride in the last few years with a consistent slew of releases and keen eyes on new young breakthrough talent.
Hotly-tipped acts such as AC13, Ben Snow, Warhead and Jappa are just some of the new-gen names to contributing to Born On Road’s festival-ready sound. The label is also home to some of the most vital voices in MC craft with the likes of Rider Shafique, Ragga Twins, Madrush MC, David Boomah and Blackout Ja all representing.
Key artists: Selecta J-Man, DJ Stivs, Gold Dubs
Delta9 Recordings
File under: Techy
One of the most varied and exciting snapshots of international, underground d’n’b talent right now, Italian imprint Delta9 has been championing a new generation of artists emerging from every corner of the globe since 2012. The label is largely characterised by a distinctive, dark, futuristic techy sound with deep tendencies, but it’s prolific and not averse to the odd curveball, with varied releases flying out of the Delta9 doors several times a month.
Unlike the majority of dominant labels in d’n’b, Delta9 (and its sister label DLT9) isn’t founded or fronted by a known artist or DJ. It’s run by a man named Diego Mainetti who was responsible for some of the earliest d’n’b raves in Italy. Without an established artistic sound shaping the remit, Diego has a different edge to running a modern d’n’b label which has helped to cultivate a healthy collective of artists from both sides of the English Channel and a broad sound that joins the dots between minimal, neuro, jump-up and tech.
Key artists: SL8r, Trex, Invadhertz, RMS, Kiril, HLZ
Diffrent Music
File under: Experimental
Diffrent by name, different by nature, this south London imprint has been pushing the boundaries and challenging the norm since 2010 and they remain well ahead of the curve a decade later. Run by Dexta – also behind the recent new record store Disc World and the dubplate cutting service 1-800-Dubplate – the label has been responsible for debut and early releases from the likes of Hyroglifics, Lakeway, Arkaik and Fixate years before they appeared on larger, more established d’n’b labels.
A true ‘expect-the-unexpected’ imprint, with a release schedule the gives space for each dispatch to breathe, Diffrent don’t just exist on the cutting edge, they have prime real estate there. Recent releases by BrandNewTrumpets and Maouq or Fearful’s 2018 album Interference are great places to get acquainted if you’ve not yet had the pleasure.
Key artists: Dexta, Maouq, Lakeway, BrandNewTrumpets
Flexout Audio
File under: Deep, dark and techy
The beauty of hindsight is a wonderful thing, especially when it comes to Flexout’s nine year old back-catalogue. So many now well-established artists had debuts or super early releases on the label it’s remarkable. Philth, Bredren, Trex, Homemade Weapons, Need For Mirrors, HLZ and QZB are just a small handful of acts the label boss Bassi took a punt on at the formative stages of their career. Even Kasra, the boss of Critical Music – one of the most prominent and consistent labels in the genre – appeared on the label’s debut release in 2011, eight years before his debut EP. It’s not all brand new talent, either. Firm Flexout affiliates and crew members include Amoss, Fre4knc, Data 3 plus many of the above-listed artists who’ve remained full time Flexers ever since.
Key artists: Amoss, Bassi, Fre4knc, Klinical, Data 3, Charli Brix
Guidance
File under: Future funk
Consistent and heavy hitting, Guidance are another one of the significant labels to emerge from the new wave of artist-run indie labels that launched in 2017. Run by Metalheadz alumni Ulterior Motive, the Bournemouth duo actually established the brand in 2007, but for its first 10 years it existed solely as an event.
Since launching their label operations in 2017, however, it’s been responsible for a whole gamut of forward-thinking releases. Expect nothing but freshness from both new talent (such as Hong Kong-based Brit Lovely and French collective Visages) and established, highly respected artists such as Tyrone, Quadrant & Iris and early-2000s mega-dons Future Cut who, after spending a decade producing chart hits for singers, used Guidance as a platform for their first productions in over 10 years.
Key artists: Ulterior Motive, Kiril, Walkr, Tyrone
Repertoire
File under: Modern jungle
Industrial-strength, uncompromising contemporary jungle – Repertoire deal strictly in timeless records that will still sound just as exhilarating in 10 years time, and would have very easily sat just as comfortably 10 or even 20 years prior to their release.
To do this without unnecessary helpings of progression-limiting nostalgia is a dark art, but it’s one that label bosses Ricky Law and Ben Repertoire step up to with every release thanks to their sharp A&R selection, their visual consistency and their clear love for the sonic traditions of drum’n’bass music’s cornerstone sounds and aesthetics. Neck-snapping breakbeats, glacial atmosphere and bulldozer grooves that tear up clubs like nobody’s business. The label’s recent 10 year anniversary album Repertoire 10/20 captures this perfectly.
Key artists: Law, Wheeler, Dead Man’s Chest, Ricky Force, Tim Reaper
Sofa Sound Bristol
File under: Soundsystem bangers
Are you sitting comfortably? DLR’s Sofa Sound brand burst through the gates in late 2017 and he hasn’t looked back since. Building on the killer reputation he’d already developed on the likes of Dispatch and Metalheadz, DLR’s gritty, rolling, forward-thinking sound is amplified tenfold on his label courtesy of acts such as Ill Truth, Black Barrel, Hydro, Script and many more. Inspired by its Bristol environment, Sofa Sound is built on collective spirit, a strong soundsystem culture and a distinct, colourful graf-style graphics that all bring a humour, warmth and sense of fun to a sound that can err on the dark and dangerous side. For a full-fat hit of the Sofa Sound Bristol flavour check out last year’s Sofa King Sick Vol 1 compilation album.
Key artists: DLR, Black Barrel, M-Zine, Ill Truth, Hydro
Souped Up
File under: Souper-sized rollers
Souped Up is another label that’s full-strength in its technicolour friskiness. A playground situated slap-bang in the centre of jump up, the Bristol sound and rollers – and run by Kings Of The Rollers’ Serum and his right-hand man Benny Vee – the label is characterised by daft cartoon-style artwork and even sillier noises. Putting the fun back into a genre that sometimes takes itself just a tad too seriously, the message is clear across all operations: their hench tinned mascot Vinnie, the niche jokes and references in the artwork and titles, and the endless menu of ridiculous flabby, farty basslines and sticky treacle funk grooves. And with a menu of chefs ranging from DJ Marky to Bou to Serial Killaz every meal packs more than your five a day.
Key artists: Serum, Bou, Dutta, Stompz, Marky, Current Value
The North Quarter
File under: Deep, soulful and surprising
No half measures: Dutch soul man Lenzman has created something very special with his label The North Quarter. Encouraging his artists to add that extra 10 percent and try something new, pretty much everyone who has released on The North Quarter has stated in interviews or social media that he’s brought the best material they’ve ever released out of them. Attention to detail is paid in all aspects; the mini-album sized EPs complete with skits, versions and off-piste tempo explorations, high quality and unusual bundles and formats, striking artwork and a strong penchant for albums and hip-hop. The North Quarter is here for the long-haul.
Key artists: Lenzman, FD, Submorphics, Anile, Satl, Redeyes
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